3 Incredibly Simple, But Outrageously Powerful Keys To Guaranteeing Your Email Messages Are Read

There's nothing that comes close to its power in online marketing.

In fact, many of the most critical elements of eBusiness are tied to it: joint ventures, newsletter publishing, automated follow-up, article distribution, free reports, autoresponder messages and eCourses, networking... the list could go on and on.

Of course, I am referring to EMAIL MARKETING. It is impossible to be successful online without some form of marketing via email.

Nothing else can boost your business like a good list and an understanding of how to use it.

You can *literally* send a mailing in the morning and earn several thousand dollars by the end of the day with email marketing.

What I want to share with you in today’s lesson is how to increase your email marketing leads, sales and profits. So, let's get at it...

--> Develop an attention-grabbing subject line.

Russell Crowe would have never won an Academy Award for Gladiator if no one had watched the movie. Britney Spears wouldn't have gone quadruple platinum with her latest CD if no one listened to her music.

And you ain't gonna earn a single penny in profits from your email marketing if folks don't read the message you send.

It’s one thing to send an email out to 50,000 prospects, it’s another thing to get any of them to read it.

And whether or not you need to start writing your Oscar acceptance speech depends upon how well you craft the "subject" line of your email promotion message.

There are three keys to writing subject lines that are so compelling that the recipient is practically forced to click and open your email.

1. Personal. There is something both attention-grabbing and exciting about seeing your name in the subject line of an email.

For one thing, we just love to see our own names. Nothing grabs our attention quicker than something that is specifically about us or for us.

And, for another, personalization *typically* means it isn't SPAM. While some spammers do have access to databases with our names, for the most part their lists are built by harvesting emails.

So, when we see our name in the subject line, we immediately are drawn to it...

"Jimmy, here is the information you requested"
"Jimmy, I'd like to give you a free copy"
"Jimmy, did you forget about this?"

Almost every good autoresponder or email distribution system will have a “personalization” feature that will allow you to automatically insert your prospect’s name into your email messages when sending your mailings. It works like this…

A. Person joins your list through a subscription form, which captures their name and email address.

B. You insert a predetermined code (like ) that your autoresponder or mailing system provides you, into the email message.

C. The system automatically converts that tag into the actual recipient's name before delivering the email.

Voila – you’ve got personalized emails. You can generally use these personalization features in both your SUBJECT line of the email and the BODY of the actual email message itself.

An additional attention-grabbing feature to the 'ol subject line is to TARGET your audience. Of course, you will *always* want to send your emails to a targeted audience. I.E. Don't send your Wrestling email to a homemakers' list. :o)

For example: I recently sent a mailing out to a smaller list I have of folks who are interested in reprint rights to products. I had made reprint rights available to my new product, and I wanted to let them know about the licenses. Here are some sample subject lines that I might have used…

“New reprint rights released today…”
“Reprint rights are available…”
“Sell this new product and keep every penny”

You may receive 500 emails a day, but if you are interested in reprint rights (and you would be, or you wouldn't be on that list) then this particular subject line is going to stand out when you download your emails.

When you combine personalization AND targeted audience, then you have a very compelling subject line...

"Jimmy, new reprint rights released today..."
"Jimmy, reprint rights are available..."
"Jimmy, sell this new product and keep every penny"

That's an email I'll read every time. :o)

2. Powerful. Another key to writing an email subject line that entices the reader to take a look at your message is to use "power words."

A "power word" is a word that appeals to the senses. It's been shown over and over that we do not buy based on logic, but rather on emotion. Email marketing works on that same premise.

A few "power words" include: Free, New, Exclusive, Amazing, Fast, Results, Guaranteed, Unlimited, Step-by-Step, Overnight, etc.

Etc. means "and so on." Don't put "etc." in your subject line. That's not a power word. :o)

"Power words" are strong motivators for reading further. Why? Because they trigger our emotions. They create curiosity. They are compelling.

So, use them.

--- Sidebar ---

Since I've mentioned something you SHOULD include in your subject line, let me also mention something that you SHOULD NOT use.

Avoid two things like you avoid an angry rattlesnake... hype and in-your-face symbols.

Don't make outlandish claims like "Earn $50,000 overnight." If it isn't believable, then folks will simply delete your email without ever reading it.

And for goodness sake, don't use "in-your-face" symbols!!!!!!! No one reads *****URGENT******* or (((((Read Now))))) or
@@@Newsflash@@@

Kind of gets the same response as that obnoxious alarm clock at five in the morning.

In other words, it's a turn off! :o)

--- End of Sidebar ---

Another “type” of power words is a DEADLINE: 24 hours only, next 3 days, only 5 will be accepted, the first 10, etc.

Power words, especially the word “FREE” are particularly effective in getting people to read your email. Combine a power word with a deadline and you’ve got a winner.

3. Promising. The third key is to present a desirable result. Your subject line must make a promise. It must inform the reader, in that split-second that they view it, that there is something that awaits them if they read your email.

And that something must be desirable. It must be something that the reader does not want to miss out on. It must appeal to the emotions and pull the reader to the edge of their seat like they were waiting for the climax of a really good movie.

Your subject line should create expectation.

Understand this: folks don't buy products because they want your product... they buy products because they want the result of your product. We buy exercise equipment because we want to look good. We buy candy bars because we like the taste. And we visit the dentist because we ate too many candy bars. :o)

We revolve around results. We work because we want the paycheck. We drive our vehicles because we want to get somewhere. We play golf because we enjoy it. We are a results-driven society.

By creating an email subject line that promises results you create expectation. Look at the difference between these two subject lines...

"Free 7-day eCourse released today..."
"Free 7-day eCourse you can obtain in 5 minutes..."

Both have a power word. Both are fairly interesting. But…

…which one creates expectation? The second one makes a promise... I can have it in 5 minutes!

This is one of the biggest keys in email marketing, and yet is often overlooked. It amazes me how many ezine publishers, for example, have this subject line...

"Bob's Newsletter, Issue 212"

Whew, hold me back. I can't wait to read that. :o)

Sure, some folks will read it anyway -- especially if you have a loyal readership who knows your stuff is first rate.

But, I don't care WHO you are, you will ALWAYS have better results with a subject line that creates expectation.

You can apply these three keys, "Personal, Powerful and Promising" to any form of email marketing you use... autoresponders, newsletters, free reports, solo mailings, joint venture offers, virtually anything to do with email marketing.

Get this right and it will be time to start working on the 'ol Academy Awards acceptance speech for your Best Email Oscar. :o)